Definition of "turning eggs"

[Gumdrops]

Would someone give me a definition of turning eggs? Do you pick up and turn a 1/4 turn and sit back down? that is what I am getting from it but I want to be sure.
Also, just how do the automatic turners work?????
Thanks, Gabby

 

[Snakeoil]

Mark your eggs with an "x" on one side and an "o" on the other, turning is from on side to the other three times a day. The automatic turners have a small motor that turns a cam that is connected to a plastic drive that is connected to each row of egg holders.

 

[CHICKEN little 1]

Right what snakeoil said!

 

[Gumdrops]

Ahhhh, that makes sense. Thank you so much. Gabby

 

[livin-green]

Quote:
So, you turn them 1/2 turn at least 3x's/day? I've never hatched before, and I am planning to pick up an incubator tomorrow morning from a local feed store. He said he has the auto. turner, but I figured we could just do it since I was told by someone--only once or maybe twice a day. Now, I'm thinking the auto. turner sounds a lot better! Does it turn them that many times a day? What about through the night, too?

Thanks!

 

[Akane]

Turners turn them much more frequently but not completely over. They tip from side to side with the eggs pointed end down in the turner tray. For hand turning you want to turn 3 or 5 times a day. The odd number makes it so if you don't turn an even number of hours apart one side doesn't always sit up for the longer time span. If you can't turn them 3 times a day every day it's not a big deal. I wouldn't only plan to do twice a day but I have class until 9pm on wednesdays and only turn twice that day. I had 19 of 20 hatch last week and set nearly 300 eggs this week.

216 of them are in cartons though so I just tilt the cartons 3 times a day kind of like a turner but not automatic. Otherwise it would probably take me an hour to turn every egg completely over. Because your turning them an odd number that means you can turn them pretty much whenever it's convenient. Since my first hatch I've been turning at about 11am, 5pm, and 10-11pm. Turn them before you leave for the day, turn them when you get home, and then before you go to bed and they'll be fine.

 

[livin-green]

Well, that doesn't sound too difficult. We're just going with one of those inexpensive 'bators since we will only do this once for a long while. We need to expand before we take on anymore, and we can't expand until we move....the economy sure isn't helping with that.

Anyway, thanks for the info. The auto. turner costs almost as much as the 'bator, and since we're homeschoolers (and home all day almost every day), we could easily do without. Plus, it will make the whole experience more educational with more hands-on involvement.

Thanks--I just panicked...I'm nervous about this first hatch....especially since I had trouble finding the Ameraucanas that I want!

 

[william9792]

you can also do what i call the homemade alto tuner,( take a sponge and place it in the bator to hold your water for humidty and place the eggs in cardboard cartons with a dime size hole cut out in each egg slot for air to get to the egg, and place a brick under the bator, on outside the side of bator, then when it comes time to turn eggs move to other side. keeps from having to open the bator and losing the temp and humidty) you just have to tilt the bator to 30 deg for it to act like a alto turner, and on day 18 after morning turn just take brick out and lay bator flat. william

 

[livin-green]

Yes, I read about this on another thread and thought it sounded like a good idea, but the thread didn't continue to include results--they were just talking about trying it.

Is this method "tried & true" for you?

Thanks!

 

[Akane]

It works fine if you account for the temp. In a still air (no fan) the temp will layer with hot air on top and cooler toward the bottom. When you tip the eggs one side will be in hotter temps than the other. I've done quail eggs fine that way ( I tip the cartons in the bator not the whole bator) but you must measure at the top of the highest eggs and another thermometer at the bottom and it's tricky to get the temp just right to have them hatch on time without overheating any.